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Zhou Buqi is a director of SoftBank, but he was invited. He has never participated in SoftBank's board of directors, and has never even read a relevant document. He is represented by Senior Sister Zhen Yu.

This time was different. He really came up with some ideas to help SoftBank's carrier business.

The more you consider each other, the more cooperation you can achieve.

Mobile phone sales in Japan are all contract phones, and most of them are "zero-yuan purchases." It means that users can buy a mobile phone without spending a penny, and then sign a long-term contract with the operator for 2-4 years.

This can be regarded as a loophole in the mechanism and needs to be supported by the credit system of the whole society.

There are many people in China who go over and buy a mobile phone for "zero yuan", then take the phone back to China and refuse to fulfill the contract. So much so that in recent years, operators have been revising their policies to treat Chinese users differently.

Similar examples are common, not to mention overseas markets, but also domestic ones. The iPhone is implementing a globally unified no-reason return and exchange policy in China, which will inevitably change within a year or two. Many people return fake iPhones and then exchange them for newer ones.

This is also a big problem facing Aisda.

Foreigners are still too stubborn.

I will talk to Zhou Shaoning about this matter when I find an opportunity in the future.

What Jibuji needs to solve now is the problem of market share in Japan to ensure that Samsung does not take away users. He said: "I have talked with Yoshino Jin several times in the past two days. Your operator has launched number portability. Network transfer policy.”

Son Zhengyi smiled and said, "Yes."

He was still behind the scenes in this matter. When Vodafone couldn't continue its operator business in Japan, SoftBank acquired it and started its own operator business.

Subsequently, SoftBank carried out a series of industry changes.

The first thing is to push the relevant departments to launch the policy of number portability and network transfer!

In the past, number portability was not possible. Users who had opened a mobile phone number with NTT could only order the packages provided by NTT. If users do not want to change their numbers, they will be tied to NTT for the rest of their lives.

This has the nature of a monopoly.

Japan's operator business is a stock market with only so many users. If NTT does not lose users, SoftBank will not be able to develop its operator business.

Number portability can provide this convenience.

This is Masayoshi Son's proud work. He can develop SoftBank's operator business mainly by relying on three pillars: Yahoo Japan, number portability and the introduction of iPhone.

This inevitably aroused the hatred of colleagues.

"After number portability was allowed, it directly disrupted the market. In order to prevent the loss of users, operators have to please users and have begun to adjust the original package rates, which truly benefits consumers."

"It also benefits SoftBank."

Son Zhengyi said calmly: "In those years, NTT relied on its No. 1 market share and the control advantage of i-mode to seriously kidnap users. Before the introduction of the number portability policy, NTT's market share increased year by year, once reaching 60%. In the past few years since its launch, their share has shrunk to 53%. In the next few years, it will definitely shrink further.”

The i-mode wireless system was developed by NTT. They have control. With this huge advantage, NTT has firmly locked in the number one position in the mobile phone operator market.

As soon as the number portability policy was announced, users who were tied to NTT through their mobile phone numbers finally had a chance to escape.

The specific market performance is that communication charges have been significantly reduced.

There is no compulsory requirement by administrative measures, and the liberalized market competition has adjusted mobile phone charges to a normal level. Later, China also began to implement number portability, but it could not be implemented after more than ten years.

Zhou Buqi said: "In order to cope with number portability, operators have to find ways to retain users and attract new users to join. This requires better package conditions. The TT strategy can streamline this part of the work and give up Instead of dealing with tedious negotiations between different mobile phone manufacturers, we can focus more on serving customers."

Son was unmoved, "This is a good strategy, and I believe it will be in SoftBank's interests. But don't beat around the bush, what do you need?"

Zhou Buqi laughed.

He helps SoftBank with ideas, but of course they are not free.

"Say it, I will do it if I can!"

"I thought about it. Esda now has three tasks, all of which can be solved by relying on the Japanese market."

"Tell me."

Zhou Buqi said: "First, it is not easy for Asda to reconcile with Apple. The current situation is not good for Asda, and Google and Samsung are colluding. However, you have the chips Apple needs. "

"Huh?" Sun Zhengyi raised his eyebrows and his expression changed slightly, "Exclusive sales rights?"

At that time, the iPhone was ridiculed by people all over the world. No one believed that a company that made computers could make mobile phones. It was difficult to find carriers to sell the original iPhone, and it was even difficult to get out of the United States. No carrier was willing to act as an agent for the iPhone.

At this time, Son Zhengyi took action and bet on the iPhone!

The risk is high and the conditions for obtaining it are quite good.

He got the exclusive sales rights of iPhone in Japan for 5 years. In the previous life, NTT finally had the opportunity to sell iPhones until 2013.

It's 2010 now, and although there are still differences in the mobile phone industry as to whether feature phones or smartphones are better, the general trend is already clear.

Even mobile phone giants like Motorola can’t survive!

iPhone is the most popular mobile phone right now!

NTT must also want to sell iPhone, but they have no such opportunity. At the same time, Apple also wants to cancel this exclusive sales agreement and allow more operators to sell iPhones, so that iPhone sales in Japan can grow faster.

It just so happens that Asda also has such a need.

Perfect!

Zhou Buqi said frankly: "SoftBank released the exclusive sales rights as a condition to facilitate the reconciliation between Asda and Apple. At the same time, NTT obtained the sales rights of the iPhone, and the additional condition was that they also implement the TT strategy."

Son suddenly realized, "You want NTT to be able to sell only two smartphones? iPhone and Aster?"

Zhou Buqi said: "Yes, this is the second task, to maintain Aster's market share in Japan. NTT's market share is too high. If they were to push Samsung mobile phones, it would be difficult for Aster to compete. Android Smart The homogeneity of mobile phones is too serious, I don’t think there is much difference between Samsung and Aster.”

Son Zhengyi said: "This is completely not in SoftBank's interests."

Zhou Buqi shook his head, "I'm afraid this is not a question of profit or loss, but a general situation. The iPhone is so successful that it has shocked the whole world. The exclusive agreement you signed with Apple in the past has lost the opportunity for cooperation between the two parties. Base."

Son Zhengyi frowned.

This is true.

He did come under a lot of pressure from Apple.

Zhou Buqi said: "Yes, you did sign a contract, but this is only a short-term benefit. If you want to ensure the long-term value of the operator's business, it is best to establish a more pleasant and equal cooperation with Apple. In the current situation, we are all It can be seen that the exclusive agreement is too unfriendly to Apple."

Son nodded and agreed.

Zhou Buqi continued: "If you insist on executing this contract, after the contract expires, the other two operators can also introduce iPhones. At that time, because SoftBank offended Apple, the supply contract it received may not be very good. If it does, it will greatly reduce SoftBank's competitiveness. If we make concessions in advance and establish a friendly and more mutually beneficial partnership, this will be more conducive to promoting the long-term cooperation between SoftBank and Apple in the future."

"Stop this for now." Sun Zhengyi waved his hand. For such an important decision, he had to go back and think about it carefully and communicate with the staff team. "What about the third task?"

Zhou Buqi picked up his wine glass, clinked it with him, and said slowly: "Find more technically capable helpers to fight against Samsung. What Asda lacks most is patents and accumulation."

Masayoshi Son nodded and said, "Well, Yoshino told me that you are interested in Toshiba mobile phones."

Zhou Buqi said: "I am not interested in Toshiba mobile phones, I am interested in the mobile phone businesses of all these technology giants. But he told me that currently only Toshiba has plans to sell the mobile phone business."

"Do you want to acquire it?"

"right."

"I'm afraid it's difficult."

"Always fight for it."

Zhou Buqi laughed, it's not convenient to say more.

The "TT strategy" he wants to implement is not just to promote Aster mobile phones. In the short term, Asda needs to stabilize its fundamentals. In the long term, if it wants to compete with Samsung, it still needs to have a stronger and richer patent portfolio.

He has set his sights on the Japanese mobile phone industry, which has a rich accumulation.

"TT strategy" can be the final word!

TT stands for "Two-Top", which means that operators will only recommend two smartphones to users. Zhoubuqi's default is iPhone and Aster.

On the surface, this is aimed at Samsung mobile phones and can ensure Aster's market position in Japan.

The hidden motive actually targets the entire Japanese mobile phone industry.

By locking down the iPhone and Aster, not only Samsung mobile phones lose their sales guarantee, but all local mobile phones will lose their sales guarantee. As long as this strategy continues... within a few years, all Japanese mobile phone manufacturers will be dead!

At that time, it will be a good time for Asda to make a big harvest in the Japanese technology industry and start buying along the way.

Stabilizing the fundamentals of the Asian market ensures Astert's sales; harvesting Japanese mobile phone manufacturers ensures Aster's patents and technology.

Achieving these two goals will give Asda a dual guarantee of a relatively stable market and technology in its long-term international competition with Samsung.

However, it is best to gain something in the short term.

Zhou Buqi put forward a condition, "SoftBank can be the main investor in Asda's next round of financing."

Masayoshi Son said: "It's probably not possible to acquire Toshiba's mobile phone business. I've asked Yoshino. Fujitsu is interested in acquiring it... Then it's hard for you to have a chance. It's not a matter of money."

"We can seek cooperation."

"Okay, let me ask."